Many traumatic conditions of the foot are caused by the misalignment of the joints in the foot. Such conditions can be hereditary or can be caused by an accident or repetitive stress. No matter the cause, people who suffer from such ailments are often in pain during normal activities such as walking and exercising. In some cases, the condition is so bad; it causes excruciating pain to the extent a person cannot walk without an orthopedic aid.
Often, the solution to the problem is to provide a contoured surface under the patient's foot, thereby redistributing the force of the wearer's weight over different areas of the foot or raising a toe to its normal posture, etc. Prior solutions to this problem included providing a shoe with an integrated, prescription form, compensation for the malformed foot. Unfortunately, such a solution is not cost-effective because the prescribed form must be present in all shoes used by the patient. Furthermore, it is often difficult to form the precise lifts in the precise location as needed. Once the shoe is made, if it doesn't fix the problem, there is no way to adjust lifts within the shoe.
A solution to this problem is proposed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,205,685 to Kellerman and is hereby incorporated by reference. This patent has a shoe insert that has an adhesive on its surface where it contacts the shoe's inner sole. The opposite side is covered with loop material (e.g., Velcro®). Once installed on the inner sole, one or more pads having hook material on their bottom surface are positioned on the loop material. The solution presented in this patent has several problems. First, it is extremely difficult to accurately position the pads using the hook and loop material. Second, the described device is permanently installed into the user's shoe, requiring a device for each shoe the user owns. Third, hook and loop material and the adhesive bottom surface are generally thick, causing crowding of the foot in many shoes. Finally, for those with severe problems where they cannot walk without the prescribed device, it is extremely difficult to try on new shoes that are absent the prescribed platform.
Another solution to this problem is proposed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,316,333 to Rothschild. This too has a pressure-sensitive element with hook or loop material and engaging elements with hook or loop materials that are positioned on the pressure-sensitive element within the shoe. This solution has several problems similar to the prior patent. First, it is extremely difficult to accurately position the pads using the hook and loop material. Second, the described device is permanently installed into the user's shoe, requiring a device for each shoe the user owns. Third, hook and loop material and the adhesive bottom surface are generally thick, causing crowding of the foot in many shoes. Finally, for those with severe problems where they cannot walk without the prescribed device, it is extremely difficult to try on new shoes that are absent the prescribed platform.
Another solution is proposed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,573,363 to Ruddick. This patent proposes a band that wraps around the user's foot and has toe straps that go between the user's toes, thereby holding the band in place within the user's shoe. The engaging elements are directly attached to the band. This solution addresses several of the problems such as being worn on the foot instead of installed in the shoe, therefore, one device can be used with multiple shoes. Still, this patent is not a complete solution. Unfortunately, this device is made with pads in specific locations, making adjustment impossible.
What is needed is an adjustable orthopedic solution that provides a platform for securely and accurately affixing one or more orthopedic elements in position beneath the effected bone.